Closed Doors and Open Windows
by Candy Island
Summary: Esme goes a bit crazy and takes Carlisle with her. warning: completely out of character. CarlislexOC
1. Chapter 1

"I'm so glad this is over," Esme whispered into Carlisle's ear. He didn't know if she meant the whole ordeal with the Volturi or the recent sexual activities they had engaged in. He rolled over, facing away from her to hide his bitterness.

"Me too," He contemplated the past few nights, few nights that should have been passionate, but were more acerbic. Was it him? Was he not showing Esme enough love, devotion? He closed his eyes tight, trying to fight back the desire he had built up in him since more than a month ago.

He had been relieved when the Volturi had gone, and left the Cullen's and Renesmee alone. Partly because he could satiate the burning desire he had for Esme. But she thought otherwise. She was making things difficult, fighting him; she even bit him on the shoulder, leaving a crescent shaped scar.

"How do you think Caius is?" she said, almost worriedly.

"What?" he asked, bitterness seeping from his voice against his will.

"I said how do you think Caius is, is he all right?"

"I'm sure," he said confused, wondering why she was worried at all about him. He rolled off of the bed, and reached for a pair of pants.

"What do you think happened to his wife?" he turned around to face her.

"Love, I know you have high regards for all people, but some are too vile to be cared for,"

"Do you think their wives are that guilty?"

"I do not know, but I wouldn't put it past the Volturi to wed those equally vicious as themselves," he said, now pulling on a button up shirt.

"Do you think opposites attract?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean good and evil, yin and yang, I think opposites are meant to attract,"

"Esme," he said, finding a pair of shoes in their massive closet. "We've been together for about 100 years, and you've never said anything once about good and evil. What's causing these thoughts?"

"Nothing," she said, getting out of bed and getting dressed. She looked thoroughly happy with herself, while Carlisle looked miserable. He walked from their suite, and down the stairs. His shirt wasn't tucked in, and his hair looked disheveled, but it was black out, and only Alice and Jasper were downstairs.

"Carlisle!" Alice said happily from her perch on Jaspers lap.

"Good evening, Alice," he said, smiling.

"What's up? You look upset,"

"It's nothing, but I think I'm going to go for a walk," he said.

"Alright, we'll see you later Carlisle!"

"Yeah, see you," Jasper said.

"Goodbye," he said, opening the front door, and flying down the steps. He raced to the edge of the forest, and vanished in the trees. He ran so fast he skimmed over the small river, and barely touched his feet to the cold snowy ground. He rushed past Edward and Bella's house, and all the way up to the boundary between La Push and Forks. He made a dead stop at the border, and stared warily into the night.

"Need something?" he heard someone say.

"No, Leah, I'm just… running,"

"Good, well you can run on your side," she said, almost as if it hurt her to be mean.

"Well, I am," he chuckled. "What are you doing up this late Leah?"

"Jake wanted me to check who was coming,"

"Seems reasonable, but have no worries, I come in peace," he joked, looking at the night sky, covered in black clouds.

"You're a good guy, Carlisle," she said after a moment of silence.

"Thank you Leah, I believe you have made my day, or night, I guess." He smiled. He could see her fight a smile.

"Well, I'm going to head back," she said. She awkwardly waved goodbye to him, and in less than a second, she phased into her wolf form, and sprinted back into the woods.

"Goodnight Leah," he said, saddened at her quick departure. He sighed and leaned up against a tree. He slid down to the ground, forgetting the time, and the place, and the condition. If possible, he would have been asleep. He sat there quiet, eyes shut tight, with elbows resting on his knees. He heard snow fall from a near by tree, and was snapped back to reality. He looked to the sky, which was beginning to turn a lighter shade of midnight. He turned to run back to the house. He anxiously sprinted back home, coming in through the back door, where now, Rosalie and Emmett joined Alice and Jasper.

"Hey Carlisle," Emmett said, engrossed in a TV show.

"How was your walk?" Alice said, "You're covered in snow,"

"I am? I hardly noticed it was snowing," he shook, and all the snow fell off of him. "Have you seen Esme?"

"She's upstairs, said she was writing a letter," Rosalie said, lying on Emmett's lap. "She was acting a little unusual,"

"Oh, thank you," he said, quickly rushing towards the stairs, and gliding up them, in less than a few seconds. He knocked on their door, "Esme?"

"Yes?"

"Uh, can I come in?"

"Of course," she said, flitting to the door and opening it, smiling. "How are you, my husband?"

"Very well," he said, darting to her level and giving her a swift kiss. "And you?"

"Good, as well, the sun will come up soon, you should probably get dressed," she said turning around, and quickly sealing an envelope. He felt the need to press her on the matter of the letter, but sighed, knowing that his clothes were soaked, and in bad need of attendance.

"Esme? There is a letter here for you," Edward said, passing her a rather plain looking envelope. He stared at her for a second, giving her a puzzling look.

"Nothing to worry about my son," she said, rather hastily, darting up the stairs to the room her and Carlisle shared.

"What's wrong Edward?" Bella asked him, noticing his confused look.

"It's a letter from the Volturi, I think," he said, speaking lowly to only Bella.

"What? Why Esme? Shouldn't they be talking to Carlisle, if they need to talk at all?"

"I'm not sure, I can't understand Esme's thoughts, and they seem so…"

"So what?"

"Unclear, crazy, jumbled, I start to hear one thing then she skips to something else, I don't even know what she was thinking about the Volturi…," he said, starting to become concerned.

"Wow," Bella said, "I think they've both gone off the deep end. Carlisle's been miserable, she's been so sketchy. I wonder what's been going on,"

"I don't know, I haven't really picked up on Carlisle's thoughts, but I have seen him, rather despondent,"

"Use Bella level words," she said. He laughed.

"He seems like he's lost his best friend" he said.

"Grandma?"

"Yes, little Renesmee?"

"I don't like my curtains, Momma said to ask you for help,"

"What's wrong with your curtains love?"

"They're blue, I don't like blue,"

"Well what color would you like them?" Esme asked, as she hoisted Renesmee on her lap. The little girl thought for a second.

"I want…" she gave up trying to talk, and rested her hand on Esme's cheek.

"Ooh!" Esme said, after seeing the images the little girl sent to her, "It looks like you want the rainbow!"

"Rainbow?"

"A rainbow is something very beautiful that comes in the sky after it rains, it's made of all the colors, red and orange, yellow, and green, blue and purple,"

"I want a rainbow for my curtains!" she said excitedly.

"I will make them for you myself,"

"Thank you Grandma!" she said, hugging Esme, and then jumping off her lap and running back to the living room. "I feel so old being called a grandma," she said to herself.

"Well, you're not exactly a teenager," Edward called to her from the living room.

"Oh Edward," she said, embarrassed.

"We love you Esme!" Bella called, with Renesmee's hand on her own cheek.

"Thank you and you're welcome Renesmee!" she said, smiling on the inside.

"To tell you the truth Edward, I'm confused. One minute she'll be her normal self, the next, someone I don't know, and truly don't like, and it's hard to find someone I honestly dislike,"

"The Volturi,"

"Yes well, hardly anyone likes the Volturi,"

"She's been thinking about the Volturi more frequently. More specifically Caius, every now and then, she'll be completely focused on something, and then she'll suddenly think about Caius,"

"I wish I knew what was going on," Carlisle moaned desperately.

"Carlisle, I'll try to help the best I can, you have to see that everyone is concerned. Even Renesmee wonders what's wrong with Grandpa. We're all here to help,"

"Yes, I am very thankful for that. My family is something I'll always have," he said shakily.

"Let's start from the top, what happened this morning that caused this recent incident?" His question was answered as soon as the thought came to Carlisle's mind. Edward sighed.

Esme was in their room, working on Renesmee's rainbow curtains, while everyone was away. Carlisle at work, Renesmee, Jacob, Bella and Edward visiting Charlie, Rosalie, Alice, Jasper and Emmett were hunting up north, and she had the whole house to herself. She was humming, working at the sewing machine. Carlisle had come home early, for no reason in particular, and came upstairs, as usual. He walked in, and Esme didn't look up, or even acknowledge that he was there.

"Esme?" She continued to ignore him, busy at work. He walked over and touched her on the shoulder. She hissed at him, turning around in a flash, knocking over the chair she had been sitting in, and defensively crouching.

"Esme! It's me!" he said alarmed. Her stance hadn't softened.

"Why are you here!?" She screeched.

"I came home early, please settle down," he said.

"You've got to ruin everything! You have to come home thinking you own this place, like you deserve to be here! Well stop! Everyone has a right you know! You get to leave and go to work everyday while Esme gets to stay home and make sure the house is clean! You're lucky I'm busy! Because I would have you in pieces on the floor if I wasn't afraid you'd get all over the curtains! Now be gone!" she shouted.

"Esme! Please…"

"Go!" She shrieked, now picking things up and throwing them at him, with force.

"Esme!" he said, frantically dodging things. She hissed and launched herself at him; he was knocked backwards into the door, cracking it in half. She scratched at him furiously. "Esme! Stop!"

Just then, there was a ding, a small bell.

"Ooh! Cookies are done! Renesmee loves cookies," she said, prying her self off his body, where his now shredded clothes hung.

Carlisle cradled his face in his hands.

"Edward, I don't know what happened. I touched her shoulder! I didn't do anything…"

"I can hardly believe she would do something like this," Edward said, looking at the floor.

"What am I going to do?"

"I would try talking to her, maybe while there some of us around, she seems to only act like this when you are alone. No one would believe it except for the broken windows and doors," Carlisle ran his fingers through his hair.

"It's like she was bi-polar, or had multiple-personalities. But Vampires do not get human diseases and syndromes; she's got to be acting off her own accord," he said hopelessly.

"Maybe something rubbed her wrong from the day the Volturi came, I mean, its only been a month, she could still be shaken,"

"What were you saying, about her thinking about Caius?" Carlisle asked.

"She thinks about him a lot, he pops in her thoughts throughout the day,"

"Why… why Caius, of all people to have on the mind, why him?"

"I don't know, we'll have to find out,"

"Esme, is there something you want to talk about?"

"I don't think so, why, is there something wrong Edward?"

"Uh no, it's just that, Carlisle's really concerned, we're all concerned really, about you,"

"But why would anyone be concerned?"

"Um, well, you've been acting oddly,"

"How so?"

"Well, you broke one of Carlisle's arms…"

"Ha, no, I don't have it in me to break any ones bones; I'll leave that to Jasper and Emmett,"

"And you tried to stab him with a kitchen knife,"

"I could never do that, even if I wanted to,"

"I have it right here," he said, pulling a mangled piece of metal from his pocket.

"Is this a joke? You guys are so funny, going out of your way to try and make me laugh," she said, merrily.

"Esme, we didn't push Carlisle out of your window, and we didn't destroy your bed frame, and we didn't take a knife to his wardrobe, and we–,"

"Edward, I don't see what you're getting at!"

"Esme there's something wrong, and I would really love to just help you, but you've got to tell me why you're so mad at Carlisle all the time,"

"I'm never mad at Carlisle, why would I be mad at him!"

"Esme, I know you've been a little, upset, over something, and I'd just like to help,"

"Edward, this is enough," she said with finality. He sighed and walked away. He walked out the backdoor, and a little ways into the woods, where Carlisle was waiting, standing towards the river with his hands in his pockets.

"Carlisle, she denied all of it,"

"I told you, when she's herself she acts like she doesn't know what you're talking about, and then she gets angry when you press the subject,"

"Let's go for a walk," Edward said, setting off at top speed. Carlisle followed. The two ran North and then East, each lost in there own thoughts. They stopped at a clearing, somewhere hundreds of miles away from home.

"Edward, I appreciate you helping me, I don't know what I'm going to do,"

"I'm sure you can solve this on your own, I just want to help," he said, smirking.

A phone rang.

Carlisle dug his phone from his pocket and clicked talk.

"Alice? What's wrong? Is it the Volturi? …We'll be home…alright,"

"Someone's coming,"

"Yeah that's what Alice said,"

"No, there's someone coming…" Edward said facing the East. Carlisle listened closely, as he heard the sound of wind rushing, and an occasional twig snapping.

"Alice said they would show up in a clearing…" Carlisle said.

"Well here's a clearing, get ready," They both stood, braced for danger, waiting as sounds of the crunching underbrush got closer and closer. Almost unexpectedly, someone rushed past them. Half a second went by and they could no longer hear the snapping coming, it was going. Edward and Carlisle looked at each other for a second, and then ran after them. It wasn't long before they caught up, who ever it was wasn't running that fast.

"Hey! Excuse me!" Edward shouted as they sped behind the person. They looked around, almost blindingly unaware that two people were right behind them. The person went wide-eyed, and ran faster, almost losing Carlisle and Edward. They chased the person almost all the way home. Suddenly the person stopped running, letting the two run past. They realized the person wasn't in front of them and ran back to where they stood.

"What do you want? You obviously don't want to kill me, so can I please, run in peace?" the woman said. She was tall, toned, and her hair was dark brown, and it obviously was curly. Odd ringlets poked out from behind her ponytail. She was voluptuous , and also wearing nothing. There seemed to be bite marks all over her left shoulder. Aside from her being unclothed, she was a fairly normal vampire-looking woman, except her eyes were a deep shade of gold.

"We," he paused, "we want to talk, I'm Carlisle, and this is Edward,"

"Nice to meet you," she said sarcastically, "But I really must be going," she said, taking a step, ready to run.

"Wait! Wait, why would you think that we don't want to kill you?" Edward said.

"Oh you do want to kill me? Great, see ya!" She said, darting off. They ran back after her, speeding up and jumping in the way of her running.

"No, I meant, why would there be a reason for wanting to kill you," She eyed them, suspiciously at first. She met Carlisle's eyes and gasped. His eyes were on the verge of blackness, but she could still see hints of gold.

"You…"

"Yes?"

"Your eyes," she said, almost in a whisper. "They're gold,"

"So are yours, as I can see,"

"You're not going to try and kill me right?" she said, quickly glancing at Edwards eyes too.

"Wouldn't cross our minds,"

"She's being tracked," Edward said to Carlisle.

"Tracked? Is that what it's called? I always referred to it as 'murderous rampage'" she said.

"Why are you being tracked?" Carlisle asked, not unkindly.

"It's because she feeds off of animals, like us,"

"Well that's not the whole story… and how do you know anyway… are you in on it to? Sneaky little…" she flew off running in a random direction.

They both chased after her again, this time not bothering with getting in front of her, but both tackling her to the ground. She quickly slipped out of their grasp, and rolled to stand up. She got in a low crouch, ready to fight.

"Listen, we don't want to hurt you,"

"That was never our intention,"

"Then what do you want!" she growled, ready for them to strike.

"We just want to talk,"

"Then talk,"

"Well, why exactly are you being tracked?"

"How does he know everything?" she asked, warily.

"Edward has a special gift, he can read the thoughts of others," She stared at him.

"No, I don't think that Elvis is still alive," he said, trying not to sound arrogant after reading her thoughts.

"That is beyond creepy, you're friends with him? How do you deal…?"

"You get used to it, but can you tell us why you're being tracked? We might be able to help you," Carlisle said.

"Um, well, I drained this wolf… and I guess it was someone's pet,"

"Not a werewolf," Edward said to Carlisle.

"Werewolves? Those guys are amazing! I've never got to talk to one… the only one I've met tried to kill me,"

"They are pretty, complex, anyway, you are being tracked because you fed off of someone's pet?"

"Yeah, how was I supposed to know that a wolf wandering alone on the woods was somebody's pooch, it didn't have a collar,"

"How many people are following you?"

"About three, there was just the one at first, me and him fought, but then he got his buddies, and now they're all coming after me, and I can't attack three at the same time, odds aren't in my favor,"

"There must be some ulterior motive behind them wanting you tracked. When did you last see them?"

"Way back in Montana or some other state with wide expanses of emptiness,"

"You should have gone through the southern states with more population. Big open spaces aren't good for hiding,"

"Yeah, but these guys are stupid… I left my scent on a bunch of wandering deer,"

"How'd you do that?"

"My clothes,"

"Oh," Carlisle and Edward both said in unison.

"So where were you living before they started tracking you?"

"I don't know, I just kinda drifted, I hail from New York, so I mainly lived in the New England area, but now…"

"What's your name?"

"Oh yeah, I'm Shelby,"

"Well, Shelby, me and Carlisle, and my whole family would gladly welcome you into our home," She stared at Edward, and then shifted her eyes to Carlisle.

"You, and your whole family, feed off of animals,"

"Precisely," Carlisle said.

"And you've got a family? Like how big?"

"Well, there are 9 of us, 10 if you count Jacob,"

"Who's Jacob?"

"He's a very dear friend of the family that I think you would be fascinated to meet. Now including Edward, we have an active militia, eager to eliminate any threats upon themselves, family or friends,"

"How Emmett likes to fight…"

'Indeed,"

"So, you're inviting me, in your family…"

"Yes,"

"You're very generous to strangers,"

"Strangers are people too," Edward said.

"Then I'm in,"

"Good, I think they'll be excited to meet you, but here, why don't you take this," Carlisle said, swiftly unbuttoning his long sleeve shirt.

"I can't take your stuff," she said.

"Please, it's the least I can do," he said, handing her his shirt.

"Thanks," she said, shrugging it on her shoulders and buttoning it up. It came to a little below her thighs.

"Shall we?"


	2. Chapter 2

"I think you're about Rosalie's size, your hips might be a tad wider, and you've got some more muscle, but you're bust is definitely the same size,"

"Nice and big,"

"Shut up Emmett,"

"Ok Alice," he said, mocking her.

"I like him, he's funny," Shelby said to Alice, as she tried figuring out her exact size.

"Oh he's a riot," she said rolling her eyes. "But wait till you meet everyone else, they'll love you,"

"There's more?"

"Yup, there's, Bella, and Renesmee, and Jacob, and Jasper, and Rosalie, and Esme,"

"Esme and Renesmee?"

"Namesake," she said, as if that was an explanation. "I'll be right back, you can have a seat on the couch," she said, and then she darted around the corner and up the stairs. Shelby awkwardly sat on the couch, keeping her knees together, not giving the rather large looking man on the floor a peep show.

"So, how are you, uh Emmett?"

"Life's good, life is good," he said, rolling onto his back, arms under his head.

"So, Carlisle tells me you like to fight?"

"Carlisle! Are you dressed yet! I need your help!" Alice asked, banging on the door of his room.

"Coming!" he said, as he walked to the door, "Sorry, I don't have any pants left,"

"What are those?"

"They're jeans, Alice, I can't wear jeans to work,"

"You're not going to work, but I shouldn't be complaining, I get to go shopping!" she said, pulling him across the hall to Rosalie and Emmett's room. "Which one do you like better," she said, holding her hand to her chin. On the couch, were two detailed outfits, complete with jewelry, socks, shoelaces, and hand bags.

"Uh, Alice I think they're both very nice, but she's not going out right now,"

"You're right; I'll just get rid of this stuff, now which one?"

"Um, do you have anything that's simple?"

"I don't think she's a simple person, I think she's got potential,"

"I think she may have potential, another day,"

"You will regret this, when she ends up a Bella," she said, grabbing jeans, and one of Rosalie's sweaters. "Oh no! I didn't see what size shoe she is! Drat…" she said, turning around and looking through the closet for socks. As she picked up a pair, they heard shouting and yelling on the bottom floor.

"Ha-Ha! Pay up!"

"No way! Rematch!

"What now?" Alice said impatiently, as her and Carlisle rushed down stairs. Shelby and Emmett were wrestling on the living room floor; Jasper, Edward, Bella, Renesmee, Rosalie, and Jacob were all sitting a safe distance away. Clearly no one cared that Carlisle's shirt kept bunching around Shelby's thighs as she attacked Emmett. Edward must have informed them all about Shelby, seeing as no one was surprised that there was a half-naked unknown vampire wrestling with one of their own family. In almost three seconds, Shelby had Emmett pinned to the ground.

Cheers erupted from the audience. Emmett growled.

"Emmett, why do you keep losing to girls, buddy?" Jasper said, laughing.

"Shut up, we will fight again, and I will win," he growled at Shelby.

"I'll hold you to that, but you've got so much to learn…" she said, climbing off of him and standing up.

"Shelby, here, I've got you some clothes, Rosalie, I hope you don't mind, these are your jeans,"

"No problem,"

"Thank you Alice," she said, grabbing the clothes from her hands, and darting quickly outside. In less than a second, she was back in, holding Carlisle's shirt in her hands.

"I'm sorry about the lack of class in the outfit, but real clothes didn't quite fit the occasion," Alice said disappointedly.

"It's fine," Shelby said.

"So, Shelby, I don't know if you've been properly introduced to everyone,"

"I'm Alice, you know that, this is Jasper, and you know Emmett, Rosalie," she said, flitting to each person as she introduced them, "you know Edward, this is Bella, and little Renesmee, and Esme must be upstairs,"

"Uh, hi, everyone,"

"She was turned during the 1900's. She was badly burned in the Triangle shirt factory fire. The vampire who turned her, actually turned a few other girls, who didn't stick around together. She doesn't think about too much else about her past.

"That's amazing,"

"Yeah, you know Carlisle, everyone's talked to her, they really like her, even Esme, and I've noticed that you're not going through clothes as fast, I think Shelby's calming her down,"

"I hope so,"

"You hear that… someone's coming,"

"Yeah I hear it,"

"It's Shelby," Edward said, sighing.

"Hi guys!" she said energetically, rushing through the woods, to the rocks they were sitting on.

"Hello Shelby," Carlisle said, standing up off his rock. She stood in front of Carlisle and Edward, a pair of heels in one hand. She was wearing a v-neck dress, with spaghetti straps.

"Looks like Alice went shopping," Edward said, looking her over.

"Oh, that girl had a field day, look, I haven't had my toe-nails painted since the 20's," she said, lifting her right foot out, to show gleaming white nails to match the knee length summer dress. Her curly dark brown hair was down, drifting over her shoulders. She looked extraordinarily beautiful.

"That's Alice," Carlisle said, looking over the well-dressed woman.

"Yeah, you know, Shelby, we never really had the free time to ask you how you felt about us as a family,"

"Actually we never had the chance to talk to you about yourself," Carlisle interjected.

"Yeah," she said, putting her head down, "That's actually why I came to talk to you two,"

"Is there a problem?"

"No! No, that's the thing, there is no problem, none at all, but I, I don't want to get attached,"

"You want to leave?"

"No, it's–,"

"You don't want to get attached and then have to leave," Edward said.

"Well, yeah,"

"If it's those people tracking you, we can handle them,"

"I don't want to put any of you in danger, I like you guys too much,"

"Why does everyone care so much about us being in danger?" Edward said, rolling his eyes.

"Edward," Carlisle said, "It's a good thing, for people to care about us, but Shelby, we all have the same fears, and we've been through worse things than three angry vampires,"

"And there is no way we're going to send you away,"

"Never,"

"Are you sure…"

"Absolutely, everyone loves you, you have the greatest personality, a little bit of all of us, and I think I speak for everyone when I say that we don't want you to leave at all," A pondering look crossed her face, and she leaned on one side.

"So…"

"So, you get to stay with us,"

"For as long as you want,"

"Forever, if that's what you need,"

"You'd be a Cullen cousin or something,"

"Or a Hale,"

"And you'd fit right in, you already do," She stared at them both, and in almost half a second, she dropped her heels, and jumped on Carlisle, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Thank you so much! You have no idea how much this means to me," she kissed him on the cheek, and climbed off of him straight to Edward, giving him a rather loving hug also. Carlisle shivered at her touch, and thoughts a married man should not have fluttered through his mind. He shook his head, and threw his eyes on the wedding band he'd been wearing for almost 80 years. He suddenly felt the urge to rip the ring off of his finger and crush it in his fingers. His hand darted to his finger, but then Edward began to speak.

"You pretty much know our history, but there is little we know about you,"

"Yeah, I'm sort of elusive aren't I?"

"Just a little," Edward said smiling, trying to pretend he didn't pick up what Carlisle was thinking.

"Right, well what do you want to know?"

"Well… tell us about your life,"

"Where do you want me to start, pre-vampire or après?"

"You know French?"

"Of course, I lived in France,"

"Ok, start from when you became a vampire,"

"Well, do either of you recall the Triangle Shirt Factory?"

"Yes,"

"Well I had worked there, when I was about 20., and I was in the Triangle Shirt Factory Fire. Me and a few of my friends from the time hid in the basement of the factory as it burned. The flames made there way into the basement through the furnaces, and we were all roasted alive. Only a few of us survived; me and two other girls. The vampire who turned us was actually a worker, who was head of some department. He hid in the basement with the girls, because he too, was afraid of what fire could do to him. Before more flames could reach us, he turned me and the two girls.

I basically went from being scorched on the outside, to scorched on the inside. The venom was the most painful thing I had ever endured. When I "woke up" I was inside the vampire's house. He tried to get the three of us to eat people for food. When one girl resisted, he tore her into small pieces. The other girl and I escaped him. We didn't stay with each other for long, she wanted to find more vampires, and I wanted to be alone."

"That is amazing,"

"What did you do with your self then, for the last 90 or so years?"

"Well, for the first maybe 30 years, I struggled with just being able to exist with humans and not want to eat them. Then I went to school,"

"School?"

"Yes, I went to about 10 different colleges, majoring from Bio-Chemistry, to Law, Physical Therapy, I did ever major you could think of,"

"Taxidermy?"

"I took a class for that, but it sickened me," she said.

"You said you went to law school?"

"I've been to about 5 different law-schools, and Med-Schools,"

"You're a licensed doctor?"

"Yes, I've got my med degree 4 times,"

"That's…impressive," Carlisle mused.

"Thank you," she said smiling. Edwards's eyes opened wide, and he quickly glanced at Carlisle. Carlisle violently shook his head, and squeezed the heels of his hands to his temples.

"What's wrong?" Shelby asked, concerned at this odd exchange.

"Nothing, nothings wrong," Carlisle said.

"Ok," She said, unconvinced. At that same moment Carlisle's phone rang. He quickly answered.

"Hello Alice,"

"Carlisle? There's a problem,"

"What?"

"Esme's going to leave,"

"What?!" He almost shouted. Edward looked surprised at his sudden frantic reaction.

"She's leaving tonight,"

"Why, where is she going, why?!" he asked again, not even trying to regain composure.

"We haven't talked to her, she's upstairs,"

"Alice, can you answer me please…"

"Carlisle, I don't think–,"

"Please, Alice, tell me,"

"She's leaving for the Volturi,"

"Why?"

"Carlisle, we should go back, you're going to crush your phone," Edward said.

"You're right," he said through clenched teeth, "Alice we'll be home in a second," As soon as he hung up the phone he darted back to the house, Shelby and Edward at his heels. He flung open the glass back door, to where Alice, Emmett, Bella, Jasper and Rosalie were all standing, all rather upset. "Tell me everything,"

"Carlisle, she's leaving us," Alice said, rushing up to Carlisle.

"The Volturi?" Shelby said, interjecting.

"Yes, do you know who the Volturi is?"

"Uh, yes, I do, I have some bad relations with one of their members," she said rather angrily. Edward looked at her like she was crazy, and mouthed the word 'Dimitri?'

"Story for another day," she said, "She's leaving to go join the Volturi?"

"It's a tad different," Alice said unsettled.

"Alice what is it…" Carlisle said, almost as if he knew already.

"She's leaving for Caius," she whispered. Everyone exhaled, even though they didn't need to breathe at all.

"She's leaving me…" Carlisle said. No one knew what to say, no one knew what to do. Carlisle backed to a wall, as if he needed support. Anguish and misery crept on his face, and he slid down the wall, barely aware that all eyes were on him. Any composure he had was completely gone. Everyone was silent.

"Well? Go get her!" Shelby said impatiently. Everyone stared at her. "What? You said she's leaving tonight, Carlisle go and get her before she leaves!" Alice closed her eyes. Carlisle quickly stood up.

"What do I say?"

"What do you want to say?" Shelby said.

"I, I want to know why,"

"Don't ask me, ask her," Shelby said, gliding over to him and pushing him up towards the stairs. He shot up in a blur of white and blue. He stood in front of his and Esme's room, and knocked. He twisted the handle and entered. She was sitting there, at her writing desk, a pen poised in her fingers.

"Hello Carlisle,"

"Esme? Why are you leaving?" He said, with no sympathy. She turned to look at him.

"Because, I can,"

"No! You can't, you don't know what you're doing!"

"Carlisle, I can do what I want,"

"But the Volturi,–"

"What about them?"

"They aren't human!"

"Neither are we! We're just as human as this writing desk!"

"What! No, we're people, we feel emotions, and we're not mindless monsters like them!"

"Carlisle, I thought you could handle this, you're always the calm one,"

"Esme, something is entirely wrong about this! You're leaving me for Caius!"

"Because I love him,"

"What! And you don't love me? How could you love him? I don't understand!"

"You don't need to understand, you just need to know that I don't love you,"

"Why not!"

"Because I've finally realized that I need a real man, someone who has backbone!"

"How could you possibly think like that? I've been nothing but a perfect husband for you! Why is this happening?" He yelled manically.

"Because, I don't need you," He grabbed at his hair.

"What do you mean! I've loved you for the past 80 years! This makes no sense!"

"Just because you made me doesn't mean I have to love you, I married you out of gratitude," He collapsed on his knees.

"No, no, this isn't happening,"

"Yes it is, and you're acting very immature. I mean seriously Carlisle, you and your compassion… I've always wanted something more than that. I'm not a delicate little prude you know! I had my needs!" she said, he looked up at her. He stared, wide eyed. She blinked, and whisked away the last remains of her gold contacts. Deep blood red eyes stared back at him.

"Esme!"

"What now?"

"Your eyes…"

"Yes?"

"You've been feeding off of humans!" He suddenly growled. He shot up of the ground. "What have you done!? Humans are innocent,–"

"And delicious, another example, of my unfulfilled needs,"

"So, what I never made you happy ever! Not me, or Edward or anyone else! Who are you!"

"I'm Esme, the person you saved, and that is all, I do not need you to guide me as a being any longer."

"Guide you! I've always let you do as you wish! How,–"

"Your cute little English accent has always turned me on, but it's not enough to keep me around, goodbye Carlisle," she said standing up.

"What? No!" he said grabbing her by the wrist. She flung him away.

"Do not tempt me, because I will send the Volturi army after you, and your family,"

"No!"

"No more, with this senseless caring I've had to use around you, I'm done, do not follow after me or else, good bye Carlisle," she said finally, grabbing a small back pack, and gliding over to the window. She stepped over the edge, and was gone. He ran towards the window, and looked down to see nothing.

"No!" he shouted.


	3. Chapter 3

"This is huge," Emmett said.

"I don't know what to say to him, it hurts us, I can't possibly begin to understand how he's hurting," Bella said, sighing.

"Where is Grandma?"

"Grandma went away for a while,"

"Where did she go?"

"On vacation," Bella picked Renesmee up, and the two left the kitchen, leaving Emmett alone. A few minutes later, Shelby came in through the sliding doors.

"Hey Shelby,"

"Hey Emmett, have you talked to him?"

"No, I saw him this morning, Edwards been with him all day,"

"Did Jasper and Alice come back at all?"

"No, he called when they hit Tucson, they lost the trail there," Shelby took a chair opposite Emmett.

"I don't know what to do; I don't feel like I should be here. This is isn't my family, I feel like I'm in on someone else's territory,"

"Shelby, don't feel like that, we all love you, even Rosalie, and she's usually the one you have to convince,"

"Yeah, but I can't help but feeling that this is my fault,"

"This is in no way your fault, unless you fed Esme some crazy pills," Shelby smiled.

"No, but, don't tell anyone, but I have this sinking feeling that, that, I don't know,"

"What? You can tell me,"

"Well, a few times, when Carlisle and I went hunting, I'd catch him, staring at me, and not the 'oh look a person,' stare, the 'lets get it on' stare,"

"Oh," he said, "Ooh," he said again, "That explains so much,"

"What? Explains what?"

"Nothing, just I've noticed that too, and so has Rosalie, and Alice,"

"Did everyone notice?" She said, hushed.

"And Jasper, Bella, I'm sure Edwards noticed more so than the rest,"

"Oh come on," she said, smacking her head to the table, not to hard as to make it crack.

"It's still not your fault, Esme was acting weird since before you moved in, and Carlisle's good at masking things, so there's no way he would have let her know that he was, uh, thinking things,"

"Why me? Why not Esme? They've been married what, 80 years? Most couples are lucky to make it past 50, I thought they were in super love or something,"

"If you ask me, he's been sex-less for a while. Maybe that's why she left, lack of sex,"

"Sex is good, that'd be reason to leave,"

"Hmm, I couldn't agree more,"

*

It'd been almost six months since Esme left, and Carlisle had been reclusive, coming home from work and locking himself in his room.

"This is ridiculous," Rosalie said. "He locks himself in there for days on end,"

"He's healing,"

"Enough healing, he needs to come be part of the family again,"

"I agree, but what are we supposed to say to him," Alice said.

"I don't know, anything, this is driving me insane!" Rosalie said.

"You know, I've been having, rather odd visions lately,"

"About what?" Emmett said, suddenly alert.

"Well, they involve Carlisle,"

"What's happens, does something happen?

"Oh yes, a lot happens, they've been, no pun intended, coming more frequently. At first Rosalie and Emmett didn't catch what she said. Emmett was the first to understand.

"Whoa now, coming with who? Not Esme," he said, Rosalie looked at him strangely, and then also understood.

"Who? Who's he getting with?"

"Take a guess,"

"His secretary,"

"No, Carlisle doesn't mess around with humans,"

"A nurse?"

"Yet again, no humans,"

"Think guys, she's someone we know…"

"Tanya?"

"Think closer," they both thought for a minute.

"Holy…," Emmett said, cracking a huge smirk.

"What? What are you thinking?"

"Shelby,"

"What? Shelby?"

"Yup, Shelby,"

"Holy…," Rosalie said, also smiling.

"You know this could be a good thing, like it was meant for her to show up," Emmett said.

"Well, Carlisle's certainly going to think so,"

"Are they doing it now?"

"No, this week though, the details are fuzzy, but it happens,"

"Whoa, this is huge," Emmett said.

"This is good,"

*

"Hey guys," Shelby said, she'd just come back from a hunt,

"Hey Shelby," Edward said.

"Hey," said Emmett.

"What's up?"

"Nothing really, hey, I was wondering if you would do me a very big, a huge, favor,"

"Sure, what do you need?"

"Well, you can decline if you want, but I was wondering if you could talk to Carlisle,"

"Oh, Edward, I don't know, I mean I haven't had a full conversation with him in months,"

"Exactly, I think he needs someone new trying to help him, we've all tried talking with him, but nothings working,"

"Alright, but I can't guarantee anything I say will make a difference." She said, turning to head up stairs.

"It can't hurt," Edward said as she started up the steps. When she was out of earshot, Emmett turned to Edward.

"Edward, have you perhaps talked to Alice,"

"Well yeah, why?"

"Did she mention anything about a vision?"

"No, why–," he said, cutting him self off after hearing Emmett's thoughts. "Holy…"

"That's what I said,"

"Should we stop them?"

"No way man, this is good,"

Shelby reached the top of the stairs. She sighed and walked towards Carlisle's door. She looked down at her feet, bare foot, which was the better alternative to heels, which was the only thing Alice bought her. Her jeans were a little battered, there was a hole in the knee from the hunt. Her sweatshirt was old, one of Emmett's old college hoodies. She sighed again, and knocked on the door.

'Hello," She heard him respond. His voice was muffled because of the door, but she could here anguish in his voice.

"Carlisle, it's Shelby, can I talk to you for a minute?" She closed her eyes, and heard the tiny strain of the bed springs as he got up. He walked to the door, and opened it. She looked up into his face. It was distressed; every single flawless line on his face was suffering. "Oh, Carlisle," she said, reaching up and brushing his hair from his eyes.

"It's fine,"

"No, it's not, you've been tormenting your self for months," She walked in his room, and shut the door. He turned to face her; he had on a pair of khaki pants, and a white dress shirt. It was un-tucked, the collar was messed up, and some of the top buttons were open. His eyes were downcast, and he shoved his hands into his pockets. "You can't live like this,"

"I don't want to,"

"Well? Why are you? You have a family that loves you, they miss you!"

"I know! I know, you don't think I know that! I can't stand to be around them because I bring them down. All I get is pity, and 'oh Carlisle, it's not your fault, it's alright,' well it's not alright! And whose fault is it? If not mine than who did this!" He was breathing hard, and his blond hair fell back into his eyes.

"I don't know,"

"What?" She stared him, questioningly.

"I don't know whose fault it is, but it isn't yours, you were a good husband, a good man," she paused, "She was crazy to have left you," His hands shot to his head; he shut his eyes and pulled at his hair. "Carlisle, stop," she said, taking him by the wrists and holding them down. "You're spending your time feeling sorry for yourself, thinking you're the only one feeling this; well sorry to tell you so is everyone else! They've lost their mother figure, grandmother even, they loved her too, Carlisle, don't you understand that? Everyone feels that pain, there is no reason to keep your misery all to yourself, especially when there are people who love you and want to help you," He stared at her. He turned his wrists around in her grasp and held her hands.

"Why?"

"Why what? Don't pull that with me,"

"No, why did you come up here?"

"To talk to you, make you see some sense,"

"Alice had asked me if I had talked to you recently,"

"Why would she ask that?"

"No idea," he was looking down at their hands, his fingers subtly caressing hers. She looked down.


	4. Chapter 4

"Carlisle, where's your ring?" she asked suddenly.

"Hmm? Oh, I threw it out,"

"What? Why, it was so beautiful,"

"No, it meant nothing," she looked at his face again, he didn't seem as heartbreaking.

"How long has your ring been gone?" she asked suspiciously.

"I don't know a couple of weeks,"

"You're a sneaky jerk," she said ripping her hands away from him. "You've been over her for a month now, and you still kept yourself locked in your room like a wounded child. What were you thinking?" He looked pained again.

"Just because I got rid of the ring doesn't' mean I got over her,"

"Well, it means something," She said walking over to the door; he walked in front of her.

"Wait,"

"What,"

"Don't leave,"

"Well I can't when you're standing in my way," His hair was messy, back in his eyes.

"You actually care don't you,"

"About you? Yes Carlisle I do, but I can't let you do this to your family,"

"What are you going to say to them?"

"I, I don't know,"

"Don't,"

"Carlisle–,"

"Sh," he said, reaching his hand to her cheek. He caressed her skin briefly before bringing his other hand to her face.

"Wha–," He locked eyes with her, and gently pushed his lips against hers. He pulled back, and then kissed her again. She took a step back and stood. "This is really awkward Carlisle,"

"No it's not,"

"Why isn't it? I'm just a random chick in your house, but here let's make out,"

"You've been living here for a year,"

"Yeah, but still," he grabbed her waist.

"Can I tell you something?"

"Well why not…" she said, trying to not touch him.

"I haven't had sex in nine months,"

"Sorry to hear that,"

"What about you?"

"See? This is awkward,"

"Can I tell you something else?"

"No," she said prying his hands off of her and stepping back.

"You're a funny girl," he said.

"That's great, really," she said, eyeing the best possible way to get to the door.

"Do you want to know why I've been up here for months?"

"Not really,"

"Oh come on, you came up here just 5 minutes ago, dieing to know why?"

"That was before you tried violating me,"

"Violated… come on, what's some casual sex between friends?"

"Wow, are you drunk? Can vampires be drunks?"

"No, I'm just living,'

"Ironic, really,"

"Could you please, just bang me?"

"You're a two faced jerk,"

"No, I'm not," he said angrily, "Before, when I was happy, Esme was there to always satisfy me, and now she's gone,"

"Maybe that's why she left you, because you used her,"

"I didn't use her, I loved her, I thought she loved me, so every time I asked for a shag, I thought she'd be happy too,"

"Oh wow, shag," Shelby said, trying to peer behind the taller mans shoulder.

"Stop playing dumb, we both know that if you really wanted out of here, you'd be gone already,"

"Well, this is awkward!" she said, putting her hands on her hips.

"It wouldn't be so awkward if you just lie down right over there on my bed so we could get this over with,"

"Yeah right,"

"Or we could use the floor, or the wall,"

"Or nothing,"

"Are you telling me that you don't want to have sex with me? You don't want any of this," he said, yanking open his shirt, "at all?" Shelby's eyes widened.

"Listen, Carlisle, it's not that, it's just wrong,"

"Why?"

"Because it is,'

"Can you just shut up, with your excuses, and fuck me," he said grabbing her by the ass. She slapped him.

"What's your problem?"

"Love, you're hurting me," he said sarcastically.

"I hate you,"

"You do not," he said, moving closer to her. She stepped back.

"Stop,"

"I can't, I need you," he said moving closer as she continuously stepped father away.

"You're sick,"

"I know," he had her backed up to the sliding glass window. He put both arms against the glass, encasing her within his frame. "You love me, you have since we first met," She pouted, and looked away from him. "Edward read it in your thoughts, I read it on your face," She turned her eyes towards him. "I've known all along how you feel, that's how I am. You're just overwhelmingly happy that Esme's gone,"

"That's not true,"

"Is too, I know, and you know, and I know that you know,"

"Carlisle," she whined underneath him. He closed his eyes and exhaled deeply.

"You know what? Fine," he said pushing off of the window and turning around. "I don't need you; I know plenty of willing ladies, Tonya maybe…" Shelby turned him around by the shoulder and grabbed the collar of his shirt. She kissed him roughly on the lips. When she was satisfied, she pushed him back, and raced out of the sliding door and jumped from the balcony. He ran to the railing, and jumped after her. She ran straight through the woods, weaving through trees, and jumping over boulders. He was hot behind her when suddenly he was hit by something. He stopped and saw a pair of worn out jeans lying at his feet. "She's going to get it," he said smirking, and taking off after her again. He passed Emmett's old sweatshirt on the way, and soon a red colored bra was seen hanging in the trees. He decided to follow suit by tearing off his shirt and leaving it behind him. He lost his khakis after he passed a matching red pair of panties. Her scent flowed through his body, leading him to where she was without any mental thought at all. She had finally stopped, and by the time he caught up with her, she was no where to be seen. He spun around, knowing she was here by her scent. Suddenly, she jumped from a tree top.

"It's less awkward now," she said, circling him.

"You play dirty,"

"No, you do, you really guilt people into feeling bad for you,"

"Why should I be the only one with compassion? Spread the love,"

"Indeed," she said, sliding up next to him, and giving him another rough kiss. He grabbed her waist and licked her lips.


End file.
